Bactericide surfactant compositions

Abstract

A detergent comprising: a) 0.001% to 40% w/v of a bactericidally active water-insoluble cationic compound in its salt form wherein the counterion anion has at least one of the following properties: 1) can generate a water-insoluble salt form, by water-insoluble we mean that less than 10% w/v dissolves in deionised water at 20° C., preferably less than 1% w/v; 2) has a MW of less than 300, (preferably less than 200) but greater than 50 (preferably greater than 75), 3) the dissociation constant (Kd) of the salt is less than 10 −3 , preferably less than 10 −6 ; b) 0.001 to 40% w/v of an anionic surfactant; and c) up to 98% w/v of water.

1 . A detergent comprising: 
 a) 0.001% to 40% w/v of a bactericidally active water-insoluble cationic compound in its salt form wherein the counterion anion has at least one of the following properties:    1) can generate a water-insoluble salt form wherein less than 10% w/v dissolves in deionised water at 20° C.;    2) has a MW of less than 300, but greater than 50,    3) the dissociation constant (Kd) of the salt form is less than 10 −3 ;    b) 0.001 to 40% w/v of an anionic surfactant; and    c) up to 98% w/v of water.    
     
     
         2 . A detergent composition as in  claim 1  which additionally comprises 0.001 to 30% w/v of a non-ionic surfactant.  
     
     
         3 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  which additionally comprises 0.001 to 10% w/v of a superwetting agent.  
     
     
         4 . A detergent composition according to  claim 3  wherein the super wetting agent is able to lower the surface tension of water to below 25 mN/m at concentrations of 0.0001 to 1% w/v.  
     
     
         5 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  which additionally comprises 0.001% to 15% of a water-miscible organic solvent.  
     
     
         6 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  which additionally comprises 0.01-5% w/v of a chelating agent, 0.01-30% w/v of a polymer and up to 2% w/v of minor ingredients selected from perfumes, dyes, preservatives and antifoaming agents  
     
     
         7 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  which further comprises from 0.001 to 1% w/v of an additional bactericidally active product selected from essential oils (tea tree oil, citronella oil and thyme oil), phenols, alcohols, halogens, aldehydes and acids.  
     
     
         8 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  wherein the cationic compound is  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently selected from alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl substituent of from 1 to 26 carbon atoms straight chained or branched and may include one or more amide, ether or ester linkates, and the entire cation portion of the molecule has a molecular weight of at least 165 and X is the counterion anion.  
     
     
         9 . A detergent composition according to  claim 8  wherein the cationic compound is  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R2 and R3 are each independently the same or different C8-C12 alkyl; or R2 is selected from C12-16 alkyl, C8-18 alkylethoxy or C8-18 alkylphenoxyethoxy and R3 is benzyl and X is the counterion anion.  
     
     
         10 . A detergent composition according to  claim 7  wherein X −  is selected from saccharinate, alkyl and alkyl benzene sulfate, sulfonate and fatty acid.  
     
     
         11 . Use of a bactericidally active water-insoluble cationic compound in its salt form, wherein the counterion anion has at least one of the following properties: 
 1) can generate a water-insoluble salt form wherein less than 10% w/v dissolves in deionised water at 20° C.;    2) has a MW of less than 300 but greater than 50;    3) the dissociation constant (Kd) of the salt form is less than 10 −3 ;    as a bactericidally active component of a fabric treatment composition comprising from 0.001 to 40% w/v of an anionic surfactant.